


Sherlock, She-Devils And Schadenfreude

by Cerdic519



Series: Bewhipped! [12]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adoption, Caring Castiel, Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Cuddling & Snuggling, Destiel - Freeform, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, F/F, Gay Sex, Gentle Dom Castiel, Greedy Dean, HIV+ minor character, Happy Ending, M/M, Married Castiel/Dean Winchester, Mechanic Dean, Neighbors, Pie, Professor Castiel, Schadenfreude, Sherlock References, Soldiers, Sub Dean, Surprise Ending, Texas, The VA Agency, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, War Injuries, charity - Freeform, mild homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-03 13:41:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 10,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8716102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: December in a year of fluff, families, friends and the sort of full-force love and devotion in which professor Castiel has mechanic Dean totally bewhipped. Ben Braeden moves in with the Winchesters, and Dean gets hit on during a visit to his son's new nursery. Most of the chocolate decorations mysteriously teleport from the Christmas tree into a certain green-eyed someone's bedside drawer, that same someone overindulges with Christmas food, and the Menzies discover the hard way that pride comes before a fall and leave the estate (sheds fake tear). A joyous festive season is had by those they leave behind – at least, until the new neighbors arrive......





	1. Saturday 1st December

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tisha_Wyman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tisha_Wyman/gifts).



“Welcome home, Ben!”

The boy beamed as he stepped forward to be hugged in turn by both his dads. The men thanked Mrs. Andrews for all her help, and she reminded them that there would be follow-up visits, sometimes unannounced, but for the moment all was set fair. She drove off, and Ben waved after her till she was gone.

“Let's start with your room”, Cas said, “then we can have a talk about your living here. As your parents we have all sorts of rules and stuff, but we'll let you get settled in first.”

“Okay”, the boy nodded. He followed Cas up the stairs, Dean bringing up the rear, and they went into the nursery.

“It looks brilliant!” Ben enthused, before turning to Dean. “You did my toy box!”

“Complete with a secret compartment for all those vital missions you want to keep hidden from the enemy”, Dean grinned at him. He privately thought it pitiful that, apart from the soldier doll Ben was grasping as if his life depended on it, all the boy had was a large backpack to show for his first three years of life. “And I made you a separate barracks in the corner, so GI Joe can relax there when he's off duty.”

Ben carefully placed the doll inside the camouflaged barracks, and spent a happy few minutes exploring his new room as his new parents watched him. Dean really should have swept out this room, the way the dust was making his eyes water. 

“That door leads directly into our bedroom”, Cas explained, “but you have to knock first.”

“Why?” Ben asked at once. Dean blushed.

“Because when going into a room through a closed door, you always knock”, Cas said reasonably. “It's good manners. None of the bathroom doors have locks now, so if you see one of those rooms with the door shut, it means that someone is in there and you have to wait or use the other bathroom. And remember to leave the door open in each of those rooms after you use them.”

“I will”, Ben promised earnestly.

“Now, we don't usually order take-out, or eat out that often”, Cas grinned, “because someone” - he poked Dean's extremely small pudge, eliciting an undignified squeak - “puts on weight far too easily. But as a treat we are ordering in because it's your first day, and you get to choose what you like.”

“Cool!”

And Dean's bastard of a husband had to turn around just as he was feeling his extremely minuscule pudge, and smirk at him! Dammit!


	2. Sunday 2nd December

“Papa”, Ben said looking across at Cas, “can I ask you something?”

Dean had a horrible thought involving birds and bees, before he realized Ben was still just three. Not yet, thank God.

“Of course”, Cas smiled. “What is it?”

“Do you and daddy do Christmas?”

“Of course we do”, Dean said, surprised. “Why wouldn't we?”

Cas smiled.

“I'm guessing that when you drove onto the estate yesterday”, he said, “you saw that some of the houses had their decorations up already, but you noticed that we did not?” 

Ben nodded. 

“Well”, Cas said, “we were going to. But we knew you were coming, and we wanted you to help decide things this year. So after lunch, the three of us are going to choose a tree together, and then we shall come home and decorate it. Provided, of course, the lights work.”

“What if they don't?” Ben asked anxiously.

“Then we shall buy some new ones”, Cas said. “Once the lights are working, we shall put on all the decorations we have, and if we think we need some more, we shall go out and buy some.”

“Next door has a wobbly snowman on their lawn”, Ben sniffed. “It's creepy.” 

“Next door has no taste”, Dean muttered, dodging out of the way of Cas' swat.

“Everyone had their own idea of what makes Christmas”, Cas said, giving Dean a Look that made his husband suddenly short of breath. “We have a lot to plan over the month ahead, Ben, but we want to make your first Christmas with us a very happy one.”

Ben smiled.


	3. Monday 3rd December

Dean found himself wondering if Cas had planned this. His husband had wanted to talk to Ben about his schooling, and they were sat around the kitchen table, him and their son – their son! - on one side and Cas on the other.

“I don't wanna go to school!” Ben sulked.

“I am afraid it's the law”, Cas said. “However, your daddy and I have made plans which should make it easier for you.”

Ben looked at him and moved closer to Dean, whose heart may or may not have skipped a beat.

“Yeah?” the boy said warily.

“This week, I have been excused work and shall be staying with you”, Cas said. “For the rest of the month, Dean is off work and will be with you. You know I work at a college?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, they have their own nursery school for the kids of professors and students”, Cas said. “We went there, remember? So come January, you will start there, mornings only for the first term. I shall be only minutes away, so if there is any problem, they can call me immediately. And your daddy will come pick you up after lunch, then take you home.”

(Dean thought back to that ghastly woman, who had turned out to be a Ms. Gildersome, and had been so rude the time they had checked the place out earlier in the year. Missouri had 'invited' her to consider her position, and the woman had thankfully taken the hint and scrammed).

“Why do I only do mornings?” Ben asked.

“Thought you didn't like the idea?” Dean said. His son ignored him.

“We want you to get used to the place before we send you there for a whole day at a time”, Cas said. “The teachers there now are very nice - I know some of them personally – but sometimes schools and kids are like two bits of a jigsaw puzzle that don't always fit. It would be the best place for you, especially with one of us so close and the other just down the road, but if you are really unhappy there, we can try somewhere else.”

“I'll try it”, Ben said, nodding seriously.

This cuteness was gonna be the end of Dean!


	4. Tuesday 4th December

Dean had to put in a lot of extra work that week, as he was getting the rest of the month off. Fortunately his co-workers understood the difficulties of having a new kid, especially for someone who worried so easily as Dean.

He was sat there wrestling with Charlie's new 'simplified' (hah!) program for invoices when he heard Krissy exclaim from behind her computer.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Just checking the local paper”, she said. “Andrew Ford. He's your pastor, isn't he?”

“Yeah?” Dean said, looking up and rather worried. He rarely went to church, but he considered the cleric a friend as well as a neighbor.

“He's HIV positive”, Krissy said. “He was involved in a car crash last year, and had to have an emergency transfusion. It seems the blood was infected, and all four people it went to got it.”

“Poor bastard!” Dean muttered. “He doesn't deserve that.”

+~+~+

Cas stormed into the kitchen and virtually slammed the milk down onto the table. Dean looked up in surprise.

“I ran into our 'dear neighbor' Mr. Menzies just now”, Cas snorted, visibly seething. “He waved a copy of the newspaper at me and said that 'God strikes down the unrighteous'. Bastard!”

Dean looked at him. Cas suddenly blushed.

“It's alright”, Dean said. “He's upstairs, having a nap. And don't worry about those oily creeps next door. God'll get round to them some day soon.”

+~+~+

Unbeknown to either of them, God already had. Their annoying neighbors just hadn't found out. 

Yet....


	5. Wednesday 5th December

“I would have thought those bastards next door would be off celebrating”, Dean said as he came back in from getting the paper. “They're not even up yet. Either that or they've gone out early.”

“With the kids due to go to school in the next hour?” Cas called from the top of the stairs. “I wonder if they are alright?”

“Hope not!” Dean snarked.

Cas gestured to him, and Ben appeared at the top of the stairs. He was just about old enough to come down by himself, but Cas had insisted that he wanted to have one of them with him each time until they were sure he could manage on his own. Oddly, Ben could scamper up the stairs almost without touching them, but coming down he seemed to feel the urge to make his presence felt on every stair. The two grinned at each other as he waited until Cas had joined him before making his way down.

+~+~+

“Well, you said that God would get round to the Menzies sooner or later”, Cas observed that evening, as Ben played with GI Joe in the living-room. He passed a plate to Dean for wiping. “It seems that He opted for sooner.”

“What do you mean?” his husband asked.

“Remember that dubious young lad we saw at the diner with Eulalia Menzies?”

“Yeah?”

“He got her pregnant.”

Cas had thoughtfully timed his statement so that the only thing Dean dropped was the tea-cloth. He stared at his husband in shock.

“But she's....how old? Fifteen?”

“Just turned sixteen”, Cas said sadly. “One of the many kids these days who think it'll never happen to them. Until it does.”

Dean thought about it. Whilst he was sorry for the poor girl, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of smugness at the 'righteous' Menzies who had been so keen to tell others how to live their lives, only for their own daughter to show how not to live hers. 

“There is one thing”, Cas said. “It seems that they want to remove her from the influence of her boyfriend and what they told Mrs. Benfield were 'other undesirable influences in the area'. They're moving at the end of the month, selling the house and going to live with relatives of hers until they can find another place.”

“Yee-hie!” Dean fist-pumped in triumph. His mom's birthday, and she'd sent him the perfect present from Heaven.

+~+~+

Alright, the pie Cas baked to her recipe especially for today came in joint first. Even if he wasn't allowed to call it his Special The Bigots Next Door Are Leaving Yay! Pie.


	6. Thursday 6th December

It was all very well the books and internet sites telling him that there would be problems like this, Cas thought resignedly. The writers of those articles didn't have to deal with a three-year-old whining and wailing on the couch as if Cas had threatened to put him on a kale diet for a month.

(He could still recall Dean's face the time he had suggested that to his husband. Dean had actually begged Cas to reconsider, crying and whining until his cruel husband had relented. Like daddy like son, he supposed.)

“Ben!” he said firmly in his best professor voice. “This is getting us nowhere. Now sit up and listen, please.”

His son looked almost fearfully at him, but did as he was told. Cas sighed.

“I doubt very much there is anything wrong with you”, he said with a smile, “but as you have moved to a new town, we need you to register with our local doctor. She is a very nice lady” (he crossed his fingers behind his back and sent an apology heavenwards) “and may give you a quick check-up today, but really all we are going in for is to fill out some forms so you can go on her list.”

“And you'll stay with me?” Ben asked tremulously.

“Promise”, Cas said. “And afterwards, we will stop at a diner on the way back that does the best shakes around town!”

“Cool!” Ben squeaked, and bounded off the sofa.

Castiel made a mental note to ask his son later about that reaction. 

+~+~+

It wasn't that Doctor Pamela Barnes was bad, she was just... well, she was just Pamela Barnes. The sort of woman who could undress a man with a look, and let you know she was enjoying the process very much.

“Castiel!” she beamed. “And you must be Ben.”

He looked at her uncertainly (don't blame you, kid, Cas thought), then smiled a little.

“Yeah”, he said timidly.

“I have lots of questions for you today, Ben”, she said. “I guess that since you've been through the adoption process, you'll know that there's always forms to fill in. The good thing is that I won't need to examine you today; we'll schedule that for three months' time. Just lots of questions, and then you get to choose something out of the jar.”

She gestured across to where a large glass jar full of plastic toys was placed very visibly on the writing-desk. Ben's eyes widened.

“Okay”, he smiled.

Cas breathed a sigh of relief. At least until Pam gave him that look again. He visibly placed his hand with the wedding-ring on the table, and she smirked. The tune she then started humming was 'three, is the magic number'.....


	7. Friday 7th December

The jerks at the garage had bought him a pie, which had the words in pastry on the top: 'He's leaving us – sorta'. Still, at least they hadn't gotten cake!

Dean was feeling a bit down as he set everything up for his absence. He would only be off until the New Year, then once Ben started nursery school (assuming there were no problems), he would be able to do mornings at the garage and then have the whole afternoon with his kid. 

His kid! He was gonna freak out again!

Cas brought Ben to the garage before Dean left, partly to reassure the boy that the place was close to his school so that Dean too could rush there if needed. If pressed, Dean would have admitted that his son attending school so quickly scared the shit out of him, and that he was terrified that the other kids or one of the teachers would pick on him. But then he had Cas, and if anyone tried that, they would have to face his wrath. That'd teach them!

The guys at the garage welcomed Ben back and made a fuss of him, and Dean was glad to take his family (yes, and the remains of his pie!) home via a diner Ben had chosen for the evening, because he had been such a good boy for the scary lady doctor. Dean found himself looking across the table at the two of them as if he could not believe it. His family!

He excused himself to use the restroom. If his face was a little tear-stained when he returned, his normally observant husband 'missed' it.

They went home and spent a happy evening together, and after they put Ben to sleep, Cas let Dean have one final slice of pie. And because he was the best husband ever, he even let Dean be the big spoon for once.


	8. Saturday 8th December

Dean was lying on top of his husband, Cas happily squirming beneath him, when there was a loud knock at the door. He grunted, but rolled off.

“Gonna have to get used to this”, he half-complained.

“Come in, Ben!” Cas called out. Their son entered, looking far too awake for Dean's taste.

“Can we decorate the tree now?” he almost squealed, bouncing on his bare feet. Dean looked across at his alarm clock.

“Ben, it's not even seven o'clock!” he yawned. “Christmas Rule Number 34 states no decorating before nine.”

“Oh”, Ben said, sounding dejected. Cas snorted into his pillow.

“You can have a nap with us, and we'll start with the tree right after breakfast”, Dean promised.

The boy's face lit up.

+~+~+

Thankfully their lights from last year still worked, and even without the decorations Ben dubbed the tree 'awesome!', which earned him a high five from Dean and a smile from Cas. When Ben had to go and use the bathroom halfway through adding the tinsel, Dean gave Cas the little owl.

“I got you something as well”, Cas said shyly, handing his husband a small bag.

Dean opened it and pulled out a Roman soldier decoration. He looked at Cas in surprise.

“Like the owl and my name”, Cas explained. “Some think that Dean comes from the Latin decanus, a soldier in charge of ten other men. And you are so protective over me.”

Dean blushed.

“Sap!” he muttered, placing the soldier right next to the owl. “We need a few more, I think.”

“We should get Ben to choose his own special decoration for his first year with us”, Cas said. “And one every year after.”

“We're gonna need to get a bigger tree!” Dean said, reaching for a tissue. All that decorating was stirring up the dust in this room and making his eyes water.


	9. Sunday 9th December

Ben, of course, had wanted to decorate the whole house yesterday, but Cas had insisted that they spread it over the weekend, especially as they had a crap ton of new stuff from yesterday's shopping trip. 

“Have you written your letter to Santa yet?” Cas asked over lunch. They were almost done, and Dean had uttered up a silent prayer of thanks that neither his husband or son wanted anything more outside that their holly wreath. He may also have chuckled a bit that the Menzies snowman was already beginning to deflate, listing slightly. Rather like their moral standing.

“Santa already got me what I wanted this year”, Ben said diffidently. “A new home with you.”

Dean was not gonna cry. He was not, dammit! His husband covertly slipped him a tissue.

“But Santa can still bring you some actual toys and things now you're living with us”, Cas said, and the catch in his voice told Dean that he too had been more than a little affected by their son's frankness. “Books, maybe something for GI Joe, toys. I think you should spend this afternoon looking online for ideas.”

“Or we could go to the shops again?” Ben said hopefully.

“No!” Dean almost shouted. Yesterday's shopping expedition had been hell enough, and he wasn't going back into any shop for anything more than groceries until after Christmas. Why did everyone leave all their shopping until the last minute?

Then he realized. Once Ben's list was done, he would have to go and brave those damn crowds. Fuck!

Cas looked sharply at him, and Dean blushed. Hell, his psychic husband could hear him swearing in his mind now?

Cas slowly nodded. Fu.... fun times ahead for all!


	10. Monday 10th December

There were a lot of things about the modern world that Dean disliked, especially some of the people in it. But one of the things he loved was online shopping, which meant that for a few extra bucks he could ignore the scrimmage that was Christmas shopping and have exactly the stuff he wanted delivered.

Alright, he'd asked his husband's permission first! Honestly!

The college nursery was having an open day on Thursday for kids starting in the New Year, which had immediately made Dean nervous because that would be the thirteenth. Ben was still a bit unsure about it all, which was why Cas had suggested using today to shop online for all the supplies he'd need for the place. Dean had thought that the nursery would supply most of what was needed, until Cas have him a list which ran to two pages of A4. Both full.

“Right, shopping”, Dean said, grinning at Ben who was sat beside him in the living-room. “Item 1: backpack. I'm guessing you might want to go for a GI Joe one.”

“Do they do those?” Ben asked, wide-eyed. “I could add it to my Santa list.”

“I don't think Santa should be expected to sort out your school supplies”, Dean said, looking with some alarm at the sheets of paper his husband had left him. “If we order these things today, they can still be delivered before Christmas.”

“Won't that be a lot of parcels?” Ben asked dubiously. Dean shook his head.

“Because your papa is so very clever”, he said, “he found me this one website which does everything a smart new student could need. You choose what you want, and then we can get it delivered in one huge package. Addressed to you, so you have to sign for it personally.”

“Cool!”

Was it actually possible to die through too much adorableness?


	11. Tuesday 11th December

“Daddy?”

Dean looked at his son, who was coloring something in on the kitchen table.

“What is it, bub?”

“Why are you making burgers?”

Dean frowned.

“Why wouldn't I, bub?” he asked, puzzled.

“You bought burgers in the shop the other day”, Ben pointed out. “Why do you make them as well?”

“For much the same reason that you color in pictures”, Dean said with a smile, patting down the burgers. His son frowned.

“I don't get it!” he pouted.

Dean stopped working and went to sit across from his son.

“You don't have to color in”, he pointed out. “You can buy perfectly good pictures that have been colored in or painted by other people. But you enjoy doing it yourself. It's the same with cooking. Those burgers from the shop are okay, but I like making my own. I make them thicker and with my own extra ingredients, just like you choose to color in part of your picture blue instead of green, say.”

“Oh”, Ben said. “Can I learn to cook, daddy?”

Daddy. Dean's heart melted.

“Some day, bub”, he promised. “Most cooking involves using a stove or something to heat food up, and that can be dangerous. When you're a bit older, I'll start teaching you how to cook properly. And we'll start with these burgers that make your papa very happy.”

“Papa is so nice when he smiles”, Ben said.

“Yeah”, Dean said. “Your papa's smiles are better than almost anything in the world! Even my burgers!”


	12. Wednesday 12th December

Cas eased out from under his sated husband, and Dean grunted as he snuggled into the duvet. His angel smiled down on him, and went to check up on Ben.

Their son was sat in a corner, the blanket pulled up to almost completely cover him. He was shaking slightly, and there was a distinct wet patch on the bed. Cas sighed.

“I wet the bed!” Ben whined.

“I know, son”, Cas smiled. “Why don't we go downstairs and give you a nice hot bath, eh?”

Ben seemed to hesitate, then shuffled across the room to him. Cas picked him up and held him close, then took him to the downstairs bathroom and ran a bath. Whilst Ben was changing he shot Dean a quick text, asking him to change the boy's bedding, air the room and put the mattress protector in the wash. He also made a mental note to thank Linda Tran later for pointing out the need for a protector; it had been one thing he had missed in all his preparations. 

“Are you cross with me?” Ben said quietly as he sat in the bath.

“Of course not!” Cas said firmly. “All children wet the bed, and they all grow out of it slowly. You might be fine for months and have just one bad day, then never again. Your daddy and I love you, and we are there to help you through this.”

“I had a bad dream”, Ben muttered.

Cas was wise enough not to press for details.

“Dreams are not real”, he said firmly. “That's why they are just dreams. Tell you what, Ben; tonight you can sleep in our bed. Just once, mind.”

“Really?” Ben said, looking hopeful for the first time.

“Really. And tomorrow – well, today now – we will have a special extra treat. I was thinking ice-cream for breakfast.”

“Can we do that?” Ben asked, wide-eyed.

“Only occasionally”, Cas smiled. “But for a big boy who is heading off to look at a new school tomorrow, I think a special treat might be arranged.”

“Cool!”

Successfully distracted, Cas thought with a sigh. Just like.... yes.


	13. Thursday 13th December

Dean had been worried about the nursery trip, even though Ben had seemed fine that morning after the bed-wetting incident the day before. The boy had easily gone to sleep in their bed last night, and once they were sure he was under, Cas had carried him to his own bed, setting their alarm so they could wake up early and be with him. Ben had been a little miffed at being moved, but Cas' explanation that his daddy did not want to risk him by their rolling over and hurting him in their sleep (plus some kickass pancakes courtesy of said daddy) had saved the day. 

And Ben loved the nursery. Dean still worried about the other kids, and he was nervous all through his ten-minute chat with his son's future teacher Miss Matthews, even though he knew there were three adults supervising his son. All in all, things went very well.

But it was the thirteenth. Which meant that of course it couldn't last.

“Dean?”

Fuck! Had he run over a black cat without noticing, or something? His luck could not be that bad!

Apparently it was. He pasted a fake smile to his face and turned round to see, yup, Rowena McQueen. Or Doctor Barnes on steroids, as Cas had once acidly described her. She was on the College Board of Directors, and had once brought her Porsche – a Porsche, dammit! - into the garage for a repair. The way that the red-headed siren had looked at Dean had made him actually run into the back, and he had texted Cas in terror. 

“Ms. McQueen”, he said. “Fancy meeting you here!” God take me now!

“I didn't know you and that darling husband of yours had adopted a son”, she smirked, moving far too close. Dean was unable to suppress a shiver. Still, the two of you are a package deal, I suppose.”

He shuddered. The second time the woman had brought her car in (Bobby had refused to let him hide out the back again), Dean had very pointedly flashed his wedding-ring at her, only for the harpy to remark 'I'm willing to share!'. Holy fuck!

“Daddy?” Ben piped up. “Can we go home yet?”

“Sure”, Dean said, silently thanking the adorable little muppet for saving his ass. “GottagoMsMcQueenBye!”

“See you around!” she smiled lasciviously.

Dean was already gone.


	14. Friday 14th December

One of the things that Cas had insisted on was that he and Dean should now have password-protected log-ins on their laptop, so that if Ben needed to use the computer he would not have access to their files. Honestly, anyone would think that his husband suspected him of downloading porn or something, which Dean definitely did not do.

Well, only onto memory sticks, so that didn't count. And they were all shots Cas had sent him of himself that were definitely X-rated, plus a couple of videos that Dean liked to enjoy when his husband wasn't there. Only at home; Bobby had banned him from having videos on his phone after The Locker-Area Incident.

One of Cas' rules was that laptop use was Strictly Forbidden at mealtimes, so Ben waited until after breakfast before asking if he might log on. The school stuff they had ordered earlier in the week was supposed to be delivered today, and they would get a confirmation email just prior to delivery. Dean would check for it once Ben was done.

He was cleaning up the breakfast items when he realized that his son (his son!) was unusually silent.

“Something wrong, bub?” he asked.

“I'm de-fragmenting”, Ben said calmly. 

Dean looked at him in confusion.

“You're what?” he asked, almost tempted to ask if the kid needed a doctor.

“De-fragmenting”, Ben said again. “You've had this laptop for a few years, daddy.”

“Yeah”, Dean said uncertainly. He'd bought it reconditioned from Charlie about six years back.

“It needs the defrag program run on it”, Ben said calmly.

What the fuck? 

“What does that do?” Dean asked. Ben frowned.

“It's like a library”, he said, “and the programs on the computer are the books. If no-one tidies the library, you get a lot of gaps. This program pushes all the books along to make one big gap. It makes the machine run better. Modern machines do it automatically, but somehow you'd turned it off.”

Damn, he was getting lessons in technology from a three-year-old! He was not that old. 

Uh, was he?

“Wow!” he said, trying to distract himself from his thoughts. “You're so smart!”

Ben beamed.


	15. Saturday 15th December

It was very nearly a disastrous pie!

Although Dean had managed to avoid most Christmas shopping, there was one exception. Every year, Cas would visit the local Farmers' Market about ten days before the big day, and buy a selection of fruits, spices and nuts from which he would make two traditional pieces of seasonal fare, a Christmas cake and, because he had Dean, a Christmas Cherry Pie.

Cas was getting the cherries when Dean looked across to the next stall, and saw they actually had some ready-made pies. Very obviously home-made, large and flaky and in several different flavors. He moved over to get a closer look.

Approximately eight seconds later he looked back at Cas and smiled. Then the smile vanished to be replaced with a look of terror, and he looked round the pie stall. 

No Ben.

Cas, being Cas, looked back at him as he paid for his purchases, and quickly realized that something was wrong. He too looked around, and at that very moment Dean heard the most wonderful sound in the universe.

“Daddy?”

Both men looked down into the gap between the two stalls. And there was their son, on his knees and playing with a cute Labrador puppy, oblivious to the fact that he had nearly given both his fathers a heart-attack. Dean swooped in and knelt beside him.

“Son, you can't just go off without telling us”, he said, knowing that his voice was trembling as much as his body.

“I was only down here”, Ben said, looking dejected. “He's so cute!”

Dean felt his husband place his hand on the back of his neck and begin massaging him, just how he liked.

“Your daddy is right”, Cas said, his own eyes shining suspiciously brightly. “Come on. I've got everything I need now, and I think there's a place that does home-made sweets near the exit.”

Dean lifted their son to his feet, and the boy bounded along with them. Both men looked at each other and smiled weakly.


	16. Sunday 16th December

Ben's arrival had cut into Cas' morning jogs, so this morning Dean encouraged him to go out for one, after checking on their son first of course. Cas was still out and Ben was not yet up when the doorbell rang. Dean looked at the kitchen clock in surprise. It was not yet eight.

Charlie. Of course.

“Well, handmaiden?” she smiled, her hands on her hips. “Aren't you going to let me in?”

Dean curtsied and stood back. She bounced inside and headed straight for the kitchen.

“I want some of Cas' honeyed tea”, she said, “then I'll tell you what brings me here at this ungodly hour. Not just I want to see your newest arrival.”

“Of course, Your Majesty!”

She gave him a regal wave, and he set about making her tea. Once it was done, he brought it and the biscuit jar over to the table. She snaffled herself a jam ring and produced what looked like a set of three wristbands from her pocket, two red and one black.

“Distance detectors”, she explained. “Cas told me about your experience at the market the other day, and I thought, perfect Christmas present. You know how crap I am at wrapping things, and besides, you could probably do with them now.”

“What do they do?” Dean asked warily.

“Don't you trust your Queen?” 

He just looked at her.

“I know you!”

She swatted at him.

“Put one on, then go stand by the front door”, she said.

Dean shrugged, but did as he was told. He was barely out of the kitchen when his bracelet let out an indignant buzz. He turned and went back to her.

“When you're out, you and Cas wear the red ones and Ben the black”, she explained. “The black one transmits to both the red ones constantly and they're powered by your own movement, so no batteries. They even work when covered up under a sleeve. If Ben ever wanders off again, he won't get more than a few yards before you'll both know.”

“You're a genius!” Dean grinned.

“I know!” she said. “Now, where's my new subject?”


	17. Monday 17th December

Ben had loved Charlie, which figured. Though it probably helped that she'd also brought round an Advent Calendar, Dean having admitted he'd forgotten about one, which she had changed the dates on so Ben got to open two or three boxes a day until Christmas Day. When their son had solemnly given each of them a chocolate at breakfast that morning, Dean had nearly cried.

Alright, cut the nearly. And Cas clearly knew when he'd finally emerged from the utility room, but his wonderful husband said nothing and kissed him goodbye as usual. Until it went on too long, and Ben interrupted them with an 'euw, daddy!'

Cas had a busy week ahead of him at college before the place shut down for the Christmas break on Friday, and Dean knew he would be tired when he finally got home that evening. Not that that had stopped him going out for another morning run. Ben had woken early this morning, and when Dean had explained about his husband's odd habits, he had wanted to go with him in the future. Dean texted Cas at work, and a reply came back at lunchtime suggesting that they could order Ben a track-suit online. Cas doubted the interest would last, but the thing could always be used around the house. Besides, Dean thought it was cool that they did track-suits in camouflage colors!

Dean set Ben up with his laptop in the garage for the afternoon, as he wanted to work on Baby. Ben admired the car (Dean may have preened just a little bit) but then ruined it by saying that he liked Cas' car as well. Kid needed major lessons in taste!

They went out for a short walk once the rain had stopped, and solemnly placed Ben's completed Christmas list in the mailbox at the entrance to the estate that had a late collection. Cas had copied the list in secret, and they had discussed in bed what items to get and what not. The only problem item was that the kid had been very vague on the books he wanted, just listing genres rather than specific titles, but Cas had suggested that they buy him one book they knew he wanted and put a large value book token inside it, so Ben could shop online for what he wanted in the January sales. Dean decided such brilliant thinking deserved a reward, and he let Cas embrace him in a manly manner all night. Because Cas liked that sort of thing.

Shut up!


	18. Tuesday 18th December

Mrs. Benfield called round that evening. She, like rather too many of Dean's friends, was going away for the holidays, in her case to a sister in Galveston. But the important thing was that she had brought cookies! Chocolate chip, too!

For Ben, of course. Dammit!

“I have a small piece of news that will interest you” she said, “especially as I doubt you would have heard it otherwise.”

“Go on”, Cas said. 

“Your neighbors are moving out on the thirtieth, and a new family is moving in the very next day.”

“Oh woes, we shall so miss them!” Dean said flatly. Cas glared at him, and their visitor chuckled.

“I doubt any except the few people on the estate as close-minded as they are will miss them”, she said. “Margaret who works down the estate agent, her son Sean is the relief mailman round here. She got him to tell me.”

“Do we know anything about the new people?” Dean asked.

“I think one of them may be foreign”, their visitor said. “Margaret would have told me, but the woman who bought the property had a name over a dozen letters long and she couldn't remember it. She is married, but kept her maiden name as some do these days.”

“Well, they have to be an improvement on Starchy and Hump!” Dean quipped. 

Cas swatted at him. Dean pouted.

“You see that?” he demanded in mock hurt. “Spousal abuse!”

“You deserved it”, their visitor said unsympathetically.

Dean pouted again, this time from a safe distance.


	19. Wednesday 19th December

Mrs. Benfield's visit served to remind Dean just how quiet this Christmas was going to be. Everyone at the garage was going out of town, including Benny who was taking Andrea back to Louisiana to meet the family (not, it seemed, something he was particularly looking forward to). The Trans were off to relatives somewhere near Amarillo, whilst Ellen and Jo were closing the Roadhouse for the season and hitting Las Vegas (he had refused to let them borrow Cas so his winnings could pay for their trip, even for Ellen's offer of free desserts for a month!). Dean had hoped that Sam might join them for the holidays, but he had scored a Christmas job to keep body and education together, and was staying in Cali. 

It did not escape Dean's notice that their neighbor across the Close was visiting 'friends' in the same state.

Damn, it didn't feel like Christmas unless there were six or eight people around the table, even if Dean had his husband and son for the first time. He discussed it with Cas, and they decided to extend invitations to Lieutenant Ben, the Reverend Ford and Parker Bradley to see if they would like to join them.

+~+~+

Dean came back in and sat down heavily. Cas looked at him in surprise.

“Where's Ben?” Dean asked.

“Having a nap”, Cas said. “Is something wrong?”

Dean scratched his head.

“I went to the lieutenant's house, but his neighbor said he was down at the hospital for something or other”, Dean said. “Then I went round to Mr. Bradley.”

“Did you miss him too?” Cas asked.

“Not exactly”, Dean said. “The house was shut up, so I cut through the wood across to the reverend's place. Did you know he had a patio?”

Cas looked puzzled.

“Yeah”, he said. “We can see it over our fence. So?”

“He was out on his patio”, Dean said. “He has those screens along the side for privacy, but it's open at the back. He was standing there. Naked.”

Cas chuckled.

“Dean, you have seen a naked man before”, he teased. “Quite recently!”

“'S'not that”, Dean said. “He was standing there with Mr. Bradley. Both naked. Holding each other.”

“Oh. So did you invite them?”

Dean stared at him incredulously.

“Yeah, I walked right up to them and said sorry for butting in..... no I didn't, dammit!”

“Perhaps they too like to cuddle?” Cas teased.

“I do not cuddle!” Dean said forcefully. 

Cas quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Much. It's just.... weird.”

“Why?”

“Well, I suppose they're both handsome, young and single.....”

He stopped. Cas was giving him a look.

“Handsome?”

Dean knew that tone of voice. Oh fuck!


	20. Thursday 20th December

There was a small but notable cruel streak to Cas' character, which enjoyed the fact that his husband occasionally opened him mouth and planted his foot squarely inside it. Dean's remark about their two neighbors being handsome men had been one such, swiftly followed as it had been by a look of terror on his husband's face as he realized, too late, what had just come out of his mouth. A lot of groveling (and something rather larger in Dean's mouth) later, and he was allowed out of the doghouse. Cas agreed to drop in on the pastor and ask both men to dinner on Christmas Day. He also called in on Lieutenant Ben, but he was not yet back from hospital yet. Concerned, and as he had no afternoon lectures today, Cas called in there too.

“They kept me in overnight”, the ex-soldier said. “Apparently my white blood cell count was off, but it was alright this morning. They're letting me go now.”

“How are you getting home?” Cas asked.

“The hospital Friends Group does a free taxi service”, he said. “They don't always have someone immediately, but I'm not exactly in any rush.”

“Let me take you”, Cas offered. “Besides, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Aren't you at work?” Ben asked dubiously.

“No lectures this afternoon, as it's the last day tomorrow”, Cas said. In truth he had a ton of marking to do, but the boy – hah, he was a year older than Cas, Mrs. Fulready had told him - didn't need to know that.

“Sure, thanks”, the man smiled, reaching for his crutches. “What was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Just to remind you about coming round for Christmas dinner”, Cas said. “Dean's sulking because so many of our other friends are away for Christmas. It'll be our first one with our new son, and we'd really like you there too.”

“Aren't you afraid he'll.... you know?”

Cas knew, but he pretended ignorance.

“Afraid he'll what?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Won't seeing someone like me upset him”, the lieutenant muttered.

“That's another reason we'd like you to come”, Cas said. “Ben needs to understand the real world includes people with injuries. And children his age are a lot less judgemental than adults. Please come.” 

“Alright”, the soldier smiled.


	21. Friday 21st December

It was suitably cold for the shortest day of the year. Dean had had to laugh at breakfast as Cas had nearly been late for his last day in trying to explain solstices and time zones to a confused three-year-old, before bolting out of the house in his usual state of disarray.

It struck him as he was washing up that this Christmas Day was going to be... unusual. Not just because it was their first ever one with Ben, but because there would be five gay guys sat round a table, two of whom were married with a kid. In Texas.

God Bless America! And in little more than a week their ghastly neighbors would be gone too. Jackpot!

Ben was watching TV when Cas came home that afternoon, and one look at his husband's face told Dean that there was gonna be trouble. He looked murderous. Thankfully Cas realized that their son was in the next room and retreated into the garage, where he paced angrily up and down next to the pimpmobile. Dean watched him anxiously.

“Sometimes I hate this country!” Cas growled. “Did you know that Lieutenant Ben applied for a prosthetic leg?”

Dean didn't see where this was heading, but nodded. Cas clearly needed to vent.

“Anyway” his husband continued, “the Veterans' Affairs Department called today. Seems they've 'lost' his file, which means he has to go to the back of the queue and start the whole application process again.”

“Bastards!” Dean said fervently. “This is because he's gay, isn't it?”

“Probably”, Cas said, still seething. “I'm gonna take a bath, okay?”

“Sure”, Dean said, kissing him. “You go on.”

Cas slouched into the house, and Dean could hear him greeting their son. He took out his phone and walked round to the far side of the Impala.

“Charlie?” he said. “No, still on for tomorrow. I need you to do something that may be kinda sorta questionable and maybe not completely legal....”


	22. Saturday 22nd December

Mrs. Benfield had arranged for a group of people on the estate to go round carol-singing, to raise money for veterans. That gave Dean the perfect opportunity to do two things; let Charlie and Dorothy babysit Ben, and freak out because he was letting Charlie and Dorothy babysit Ben.

“You owe me”, the redhead grinned as soon as she had Dean alone. “Good thing hacking into government systems is so easy. I think they purchase their protection systems from Wal-Mart!”

“Were you able to do anything?” Dean asked anxiously.

“I extracted proof that he was moved out of line deliberately”, she grinned triumphantly, “and left the regional VA head with a note to say that several gay rights groups will be sent that proof next week!”

“You're not in any danger, are you?” he asked anxiously.

“Please, handmaiden!” she scoffed. “I'm the Queen!”

“And a worthy one at that, Your Majesty!” he said with a curtsy. 

+~+~+

Thankfully it was a dry evening, and Dean quietly enjoyed the looks of surprise on several of his fellow choristers' faces when Cas broke into song about two octaves lower than his small frame would have suggested. Dean had a deep baritone himself, but Cas was not only a true bass but also knew the bass parts to all the hymns, making them sound so much better. They also raised a ton of money, which unlike his taxpayer dollars going to those slimy bastards at the VA, would go to people who needed it.

And Dean was not the least bit smug when they returned home and found both Charlie and Dorothy completely exhausted.

+~+~+

Okay, maybe he was just a tiny little bit smug.

+~+~+

What the hell, he was Smug King Smuggy of Smugopolis, capital of Smuggety-Smugland!


	23. Sunday 23rd December

There was something most adorably cute about the figure sat on the edge of the couch, their knee vibrating in anticipation, sending longing looks through the open kitchen door and very clearly wanting with every fiber of their body to burst through that door and demand to be fed. 

Cas smiled. His husband was so cute! Their son was not bad, either.

It was the Sunday before the big day, which meant that it was time for Cas to spend a day making Christmas cookies. And baking his Christmas cake, after all that delicious fruit had been soaked in brandy for a week. And making pie. Pie!

“When is Papa gonna feed us?” Ben whined.

“Right now”, Cas said, appearing as if by magic right next to them both. They both yelped and fell back, arms flailing. “Cookie?”

“Oh my God, gingerbread!” Dean said, reaching out.

“Youngest first”, Cas said reprovingly, swatting his hand away and earning himself a Class A Pout. Ben grinned, and took a cookie iced as a snowman.

“Yummy”, he said, spluttering crumbs as he spoke.

“You're so messy!" Cas sighed. “I'd better go back and start on the next lot.”

“What about me?” Dean whined piteously. Cas seemed to consider the request.

“Have you been naughty or nice?” he asked.

“Nice!” Dean said at once.

“Really?” Cas said with a knowing smile.

“Nice sorta?” Dean said hopefully. He batted his eyelashes at his husband. “Pretty please, papa?”

Cas shook his head at them both, but left the plate and went back to the kitchen. He smiled at the whoop of triumph that followed him there.


	24. Monday 24th December

Christmas Eve. And Ben had questions.

“How does Santa get all the toys down the chimney?” he asked at lunch.

“No-one has ever seen him do it, so we don't know”, Cas replied, looking across at a husband still half-asleep after all those Christmas coo..... after a hard morning's work.

“Then how come there are pictures of him coming down the chimney?” Ben asked.

“Well, in olden times that was the only obvious way into most houses”, Cas said. “But if you think about it, Santa has to move so fast and cover so many houses in one night, he can probably teleport through walls. Much easier than scrambling down a sooty chimney, don't you think?”

“Will he really bring me what I asked for?” Ben asked.

“Not everything”, Cas said. “That's why you rewrote it out in order, remember? Things at the top of the list are the ones you really want, and those down the bottom things you would like but may or may not get. It depends how much room there is on the sleigh.”

“Does he really have reindeers pull his sleigh?”

“Reindeer”, Cas corrected automatically. “One of those words you don't need to add an 's' to in order to show there's more than one. I think that if he can get through a solid wall, fast-flying reindeer would be easy.”

“Can I wait up for him?”

“That would be very unwise”, Cas pointed out with a smile. “As I said, think of all the houses he has to cover. If he comes here and you're still awake, he'll have to go somewhere else instead. They might even end up getting your presents!”

Ben looked horrified. Dean muttered something about pie as he slept.

“Can I go to bed right now, papa?” their son demanded, his bottom lip quivering with dread.

“It's just turned midday”, Cas smiled. “I think you're safe while it's still light, Ben. Don't worry. We'll put you to bed at the right time.”


	25. Tuesday 25th December

How their son was still awake at this time of night was amazing, Dean thought fondly, although from the way he'd collapsed onto his bed, it would not be for long. 

There had been so many good things that day, Dean didn't know where to start. Ben meeting his military namesake and asking if he was a real GI Joe. Parker holding the Reverend Ford's hand and saying he was thankful that people were so much more open-minded these days. The soldier telling them that he'd had a couriered letter yesterday from the local VA head honcho, apologizing profusely for their 'administrative error' (hah!) and asking him if he could come in for a fitting before the New Year - though God alone knew what Charlie would want in return for that! Cas and him pulling the wishbone, and when Dean had won, saying that he didn't mind because he already had everything he wanted (Dean had not cried, but it had been damn close). 

And the presents he and Cas had exchanged. He had bought his husband a set of old encyclopedias that Cas had long wanted but thought too expensive, and Cas had bought him – oh my God! There by the shed in its gleaming black and silver glory was a grand new Weber Grill, with the guys all standing there grinning next to it. So that was why the sneaky bastard had insisted on Dean fetching Ben's other crutches from his house.

A soft snore from a few feet away told him that their son had finally dropped off, and the two of them tiptoed into their own room. And because Cas was such a perfect husband, he just took one look at Dean and opened his arms, the taller man stumbling into them and sobbing into his angel's chest. He knew that, when Dean felt supremely happy, it was sometimes just too much for him.

Some time later, the two of them lay there in their boxers, curled round each other and kissing lightly from time to time.

“Our first year here is nearly over”, Cas remarked. “It's been a good one, don't you think?”

“I've had you”, Dean smiled. “That's all that matters. We could be living in an igloo for all I care, and provided I have you, I'll be happy.”

His eyes widened when he realized where Cas' hand had got to. Fuck!

“I think we can guarantee that our son is pretty tuckered out”, Cas growled, and that was just not fair because he was bringing out the Sex Voice™ again. “I want to take you slowly tonight, Dean. I want to make love to you, over and over again.”

Dean whimpered. Thankfully his perfect husband took that as a yes, and slowly slipped his boxers down....


	26. Wednesday 26th December

Ben looked curiously at Cas.

“What are you doing, papa?” he asked, frowning. 

The kitchen table, large as it was, was almost completely covered by twenty small boxes, all open at the top. Cas was taking out yet another tray of cookies.

“Do you know what today is, Ben?” he asked.

“Boxing Day”, Ben said. “But I don't know why it's called that. Do people give each others the boxes the presents came in?”

Cas suppressed a smile.

“The original boxes were charity boxes, kept in churches”, he explained, scooping a generous handful of cookies into a plastic bag before sealing it. “Because people had so much given to them on Christmas Day, the day after was when they were asked to think of those less fortunate than themselves.”

“Oh.”

“I sometimes help out at a center for men like brave Lieutenant Ben, men who have returned from war, sometimes hurt”, Cas went on. “There are for them, one box each. Our family's own little way of saying thank you.”

“What's the tin for?” Ben asked, pointing to where an empty tin of sweets that Cas had saved from last year sat next to the boxes.

“Well, there are several other people who work there to help the soldiers”, Cas explained. “Many of them do it for free. So I'm including them in my thank you. Without them, the center wouldn't be so nice for the soldiers, see? I don't know exactly how many they are, so I'm filling a tin for them all to share.”

“Can I help?” Ben asked.

“I shall definitely need someone to sort all these bags into the boxes”, Cas said,, “and to carry them out to Daddy's car. And I may even have a spare cookie or two.”

He smiled as he sealed another bag, and checked the timer for his latest batch of sugary goodness. All he had to do now was to keep Dean away from them!

All he had to do.....


	27. Thursday 27th December

Cas came round and stood directly between the TV and the two miscreants on the couch. He stared hard at them. They looked at each other nervously.

“Someone”, Cas said slowly, “has been eating the chocolate decorations off the tree. They were not to be taken off until New Year. There were twenty-four when we decorated, and now there are just three.”

“Where are those?” Ben asked, wide-eyed. Dean nudged him.

“Now”, Cas said, “someone has been eating too many chocolates. I think that person will have to go on a diet come the New Year. A diet that will not include things like chocolate. Or pie.”

“I only ate three!” Dean blurted out.

Cas looked at him.

“Five?” Dean said hopefully. 

The look continued.

“But they were so tasty!” Dean whined. “And Ben had some too.”

“Daddy hid some in his drawer upstairs”, said the little traitor next to him. Dean looked at him in horror. “He said I could have half if I didn't tell on him.”

“I know”, Cas said with a smile. “I went to write something down in the bedroom, and had to look in his drawer for a pen when mine didn't work.”

“Dammit!” Dean muttered. "Uh, sorry, Ben."

“No pie for Daddy all next month!” Cas said firmly. “You know the rules.”

Their son sniggered. Dean pouted.


	28. Friday 28th December

“Is Daddy okay?” Ben asked anxiously. “He keeps making a funny noise.”

Cas chuckled.

“Your daddy is finding out the hard way that his eyes are bigger than his belly!” he said. He smiled at his son's confusion.

“Huh?”

“Sorry, Ben, that's an old saying”, Cas said. “It means that daddy was greedy, and ate too much leftover turkey for lunch. And now his stomach is hurting because it has too much food in it.”

“Is not!” came a defiant call from the next room, followed by another yelp of pain.

“There are lots of good things in life”, Cas mused, “and many of them can give you stomach-ache if you eat too much of them. Besides, good things are enjoyed more if you don't have them too often.”

“Huh?”

“Well, if we went out for pizza every night, not only would it be very expensive, but it would soon become boring”, Cas said. “Christmas cookies are great, but if you had them every day you'd soon want something else. Do you see?”

“I think so”, his son said. “Daddy got greedy, then?”

“Daddy did not!” came the defiant call.

“Daddy did”, Cas smiled. “But because we love him, we are taking him these tablets which help greedy people who eat too much to get better quickly. And for dinner this evening you and I can have those burgers Daddy made up yesterday, and he can have a nice salad.”

The moan from the next room was deep and long.

“And we can share his pie!”

“Cas!” 

Cas was of course kidding. Dean's pie would keep for another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 363 days down, 3 to go!


	29. Saturday 29th December

Dean came back from shopping to an unusually silent house. He was on edge at once.

“Cas?” he called out nervously.

There was neither sight nor sound of his husband or his son and, bizarrely, the Sherlock hat Cas had bought at a convention last year was by the fridge. He deposited the shopping on the floor and started taking out the cold and frozen items ('someone' always got testy if these weren't done first, the nerd). He went to put the eggs away, and found a folded note inside the fridge:

'Dean,  
Charlie and Dorothy came by, and asked if they could take Ben shopping and treat him to lunch. They will be back some time after two. I have set a strict limit on what they can spend on him, so don't worry about that.'

Dean smiled.

'What you might worry about instead is the following:  
1) Assuming your normal driving patterns, we have three hours until they come back.  
2) I am upstairs, naked and horny.  
3) I want you to fuck me until I scream, and then fuck me some more.  
4) Wear the Sherlock deer-stalker.  
Please put away all the shopping first.  
Cas'

Dean had to grab his crotch to stop himself having an orgasm right then and there! He virtually threw the shopping into what he hoped was the correct cupboards whilst trying to undress at one and the same time before he raced upstairs, then back down to get the goddam hat, then back up once more to the man he loved.

Even if he kept trying to kill him!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two days left.....


	30. Sunday 30th December

Sunday 30th December

Dean had decided. His husband was a party-pooper.

Cas was looking at him. Oh yeah. Someone had been denied his beloved Pop Tarts this morning and had eventually found them in the bottom freezer draw. They were still thawing out, along with the tea. Oops!

“We are not going to have a celebration party just because some unpleasant people are leaving the neigborhood”, he told Dean firmly. “First, we would have to explain to Ben, and second, we would be tempting fate. We might get someone even worse in their place!”

“Doubt it”, Dean scoffed. “Can't we tell him it's for something else instead? Like marking the Gadsden Purchase, or the lifting of the siege of St. Augustine?”

Cas just looked at him.

“You looked those up on Wikipedia just to have an excuse for a party, didn't you?” he said heavily. “Honestly, what with this, your overeating and the pilfering of all the chocolate decorations, I'm wondering how many kids I have in this house!”

Dean grinned.

“I'm definitely not a kid, Cas”, he smirked. “Want me to drop my pants and prove it to ya? Again?”

Cas shook his head at him. However, further discussion was stopped by the sound of an engine next door. Both men looked tentatively out of the open garage door, and sure enough, their loathsome neighbors were heading off down the road and out of the estate. For good. Dean really wished he had a handkerchief to wave after them.

“A good riddance!” he said. “Feel sorry for the girl, though. Hope she's alright.”

“She made her bed”, Cas agreed, “and now she has to lie in it. Just think – one day you'll have to have the Talk with Ben.”

He smiled as he walked back into the house. It was a few moments before Dean got it.

“Hey!” he yelled, running after him. “Why do I have to give him the Talk?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last day tomorrow (sniff)!


	31. Monday 31st December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 366.....

It had been a quiet day on the estate. Since they now had Ben, it had been decided that they would not have a party running to midnight as he would either want to be part of it or more likely be kept awake by it, so they had invited their three friends round for an end of year dinner. And if there was a banner proclaiming 'Good riddance!' up in the garage, well, their son would not be going in there so that was alright.

Lieutenant Ben had been in to be measured for his prosthetic leg earlier that day, and had been assured that it would be swiftly delivered. Dean still felt a little angry that he had had to rely on Charlie to get the government to do what it damn well ought to have done in the first place, but at least everything was okay now. And the soldier turned out to have an unexpected talent; he had given his little namesake a set of toy crutches for when GI Joe became injured. The kid loved those more than anything he'd gotten from Santa!

Their new neighbors were due to arrive around four, and Dean just happened to be working in the front garden when a garishly showy gold Taurus rolled onto the nearby driveway. Ugh! Ten marks off right there for poor taste. A young Indian woman got out, tall and elegant, and immediately went to the back seat to retrieve a baby, possibly a girl (Cas had refused to let him have the binoculars, worse luck!). Then a man, presumably her husband, got out the other side and came round to take the child from her. Both looked to be in their late twenties; he was short, had messy blond hair and a pointed nose. Dean had no idea who he was, yet he looked oddly familiar.

Cas came up behind his husband, wrapping his arms around him.

“Get a good look?” he teased.

“Yo bro!”

They both turned to look. The man was leaning on the low brick wall on the other side of the access path grinning at them both. Dean suddenly felt his husband tense up.

“Gabriel?” Cas all but shouted.

“Cassiopea!” the blond man shouted. “Our new neighbors! Yay!”

“Cas?” Dean asked uncertainly.

“Dean”, Cas said, his voice trembling with some sort of strong emotion, “may I introduce Kali, her daughter Shweta, and Kali's husband Gabriel. My elder brother.”

Oh fuck!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's yet lot! Okay, there will be timestamps, and because of my fabled complete lack of organizational ability, I've decided to publish these in one chapter, updated at the start of each month. So tomorrow there will be a Chapter 13 (unlucky for some!), with 2-3 further vignettes each month from the lives of Cas and his totally bewhipped Dean.


End file.
